Familiar Stranger
by talking-eye
Summary: AU future fic. Thanksgiving with Burke, Cristina, and their daughter Asha. I edited the ending a little. This is my favorite story. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Familiar Stranger

_Parents come in pairs, but we don't always have both. To some, that other person was a fond memory in their heart. To others, it was a haunted image that they tried hard to hide._

The man was sober, but he could not help staggering as he left Union Station.

_Five more blocks,_ _five more blocks and I'll be there. _He kept repeating that to himself, trying to ward off the excruciating pain near his abdomen.

The newspaper article he was holding firmly in his hand was so brittle and blurry that almost no one except himself knew what it was. He was overcome by pride as he remembered the words in the excerpt for the nth time. He was not an educated man, but he knew it must have meant a great deal to receive the _Golden Hands_ award.

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"Mummy, why's that man sleeping in the middle of the street?" The little girl asked in her most innocent voice on her way from school to her mother's workplace.

"Darling, we need to call the ambulance." Unlike the other busy passer-bys, the mother paused and taught her daughter an important lesson of what it meant to be the Good Samaritan.

She understood the man could be an addict or a felon, but being a mother had changed her once ambivalent attitude towards people's plight. Besides, her instinct as a doctor told her he was gravely ill.

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"Preston, one of my biggest life achievements was to have chosen you over Sheppard as my successor." Richard Webber smiled as he dropped by Seattle Grace for a visit. It's been three years since he stepped down from his role as Chief.

"I'm flattered, Richard. It's good to see you. How was Africa?" Preston Burke had another sip of his coffee as he greeted his ex-boss.

"It's a humbling experience working with the villagers. They're so resilient despite their poverty. The families are so united. Nobody is ever left behind." Richard was very enthusiastic about his work since his early retirement.

"That's good to know. I wish I could go some day… probably when Asha is older."

"I'm sure she would like it there." Richard imagined seeing his god-child chasing the wild animals in open fields. "Will I get to see Asha and Cristina today?"

"They should be here shortly. Cristina went to pick Asha up from school. They're having their pre-Thanksgiving party today."

"Good. I guess I'll go find Bailey first. See you later, Preston."

"Bye, Richard." Preston went back to his stacks of paperwork as Richard walked out. He was, after all, a busy man.


	2. Chapter 2

I could have kept this chapter short, but I want to have the luxury to give a better depiction of the background before moving on. Hope it wasn't too boring.

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Ch. 2

"Daddy!"

"How is my little girl doing?" Preston brushed his daughter's cherry-colored cheeks as she blew him a kiss.

"We're caught up in traffic. I have a surgery scheduled at 4. Can I leave her here with you?" Cristina's become a lot more polite since the birth of Asha that sometimes it made him nervous.

"Sure. Richard's back. See if you'll run into her."

"OK. Asha, be a good girl. Tell Daddy where you want to go for dinner tonight."

"Bye, Mummy!"

"Bye, love."

Preston watched contently as his favorite woman disappeared into the corridor. Being the Chief and the Number One cardio surgeon along the West Coast, having a beautiful wife who's become the youngest surgeon to have completed her hepatology specialist training in a year, and a lovely daughter with a unique sensitivity about the world far beyond kids her age, Preston Burke couldn't have felt luckier.

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He never knew if he would live to see the next morning. The pain was wearing him down, but it was his years of guilt that made things harder. Half his life he spent like an exile, shunned off by society and everyone near and dear to him.

He wasn't sure if he would be welcomed, let alone being forgiven. But before his very final day, he wanted to see that very handsome face once more. Just a glimpse of it would suffice.

Thus, he considered himself a lucky man today, lying in a hospital bed at Seattle Grace.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Jones. I'm Dr. O'Malley. The test results are not as good as we would have wanted. We'll have to refer you to a liver specialist. She's in a surgery now but will come by later this evening." George was the only other intern who stayed after residency and it was a surprise to many that he was now in charge of the emergency unit.

"Thank you, doctor."

"Is there anyone you'd like us to call?" The puppy-eyed doctor inquired.

"No. I live by myself." Jones wasn't lying. The only person he still kept in touch with was the warden he befriended in the correctional facility, who was now confined to his bed after a stroke earlier that year.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews. Sorry guys, it's already the 3rd chapter and I've got to let you know who the man is.

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Ch. 3

"Hey Cristina," Richard was impressed to see the young woman walking towards him. Ever since the day she confessed of having lost her edge, she had grown into a calmer and warmer person.

"Hi, Richard. How are you?" The smile on her face became brighter and clearer as Cristina got closer.

"I'm doing fine. I heard you just had another successful surgery. The nurses are raving about your skills." Richard tried to tease her, "since when have they begun to side with you?"

"Since Burke became Chief." Cristina chuckled. "Richard, I wish we could chat more but I have one more patient to see tonight. You should come to our place for dinner some time before you leave for Africa again!"

"Sure. I'd love to hear Asha sing. You know your daughter has an angel's voice." Richard said affectionately.

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"Good evening, Mr. Jones. I am Dr. Yang. How are you feeling now?" Cristina made sure she was close enough by his bedside before starting to introduce herself. That way it would seem less condescending. Through the years, her bedside manner had dramatically improved.

"I'm fine, doctor." Jones channeled his energy into a faint smile. "You can call me Samuel."

The expression on Samuel's face was remarkably familiar to Cristina. Soon she realized he was the man who collapsed in downtown Seattle that afternoon.

"Samuel, I believe Dr. O'Malley has informed you that we found something unusual in your liver." Cristina paused. "There are a few advanced procedures available at Seattle Grace to—"

"It's OK, doctor. I know there's nothing much you could do. My liver cancer has already spread to the bones," Samuel brushed his eyebrows with his index finger. "I'm here in Seattle for another reason."

Samuel handed her the news article. The photo on the top left corner was smudgy, but Cristina knew the cocky pose of the man by heart. It was Preston Burke, her husband.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for the reviews. This story is taking on a slightly different path than I first thought.

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Ch. 4

"You're looking for Dr. Burke? He's the best heart surgeon," Cristina cautiously proceeded as she began her inquiry. "but your record doesn't suggest any heart abnormalities. Is there anything you'd like to alert us about?"

Samuel nodded. "My last name was Burke."

Cristina knew it. She didn't have to guess further. "You are his—"

"Father." Samuel shook his head and smiled sadly, "I WAS his father."

"Does Burke… uh… Preston… know?" Cristina was curious, because this man in front of him did not resemble any of the men in the framed photos Preston owned.

"It's a long story."

Cristina held her tongue and continued nodding. Samuel would have been more reserved had he been talking to the old Cristina who always interrupted.

"I'm a disgrace to my family. I was an alcoholic and I killed someone. But that isn't important now. Tell me, Doctor, is Preston Burke a good man?"

"He's a very good man. Well, he's the best surgeon, the best Chief—"

"Is he married?" Samuel's eyes lit up.

"Married, with a 3-year-old daughter." Cristina wasn't sure if she should be volunteering so much information. She ought to check with Preston to see if the man was merely an imposter, but there was something about Samuel that made her want to stay.

Samuel nodded approvingly, "Are they happy?"

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"Daddy, what do you wanna eat tonight?" Asha had been sitting in Preston's office for over 3 hours, filling her coloring book and reading quietly. But even the best-behaving little girl would feel hungry when the night fell.

"Sorry, sweetheart. You must be starving now." Preston didn't realize it was almost eight. "Your mummy said you could choose where to eat. Have you made up your mind yet?"

"Anything that both you and mummy like, daddy."

Preston pondered on Asha's reply. It's been a long time since he thought about what he or Cristina liked. Back when they were dating, they would fight over which restaurant to go to. Once a family was formed, the dynamics gradually shifted. Their life went on smoothly, yet something was missing. They were far from being an estranged couple, but they're spending very little time talking about their feelings. Sometimes he wished their conversation could revolve around themselves—not the hospital, not their daughter—just the two of them.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5

Samuel's question was glued on Cristina's mind. It was unintentional, the same way how her best friend Meredith used to ask her if she loved Preston, to which the answer was an automatic yes. This time, Cristina was caught off balance.

Of course they were happy. She had Asha, Preston and a brilliant career. What more was there to ask for?

"There's no reason why they're not." Cristina's defensive tone puzzled the old fellow, who resumed his pensive mode. Cristina glanced at her wristwatch and knew she was late again. "Samuel, I wish I could stay and talk but I have to go. I will come back tomorrow to go over your options in more details."

"Sure, Doctor." Samuel put the news excerpt back into the personal drawer beside his bed.

Cristina gave a little squeeze on his shoulder and blurted out a question she could withhold no more. "Do you want me to tell Dr. Burke?"

"You're very kind, Doctor. Promise me this. Don't let him know."

_Kind_ was not the word Cristina was associated with, even though she had toned down her arrogance in the past few years and was gaining more respect from her colleagues.

"But you came here to—" Cristina wanted to intervene but a pang of selfishness held her back. "OK, I promise."

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"Mummy! You're here. Daddy says you get to choose the restaurant tonight because you worked the hardest today!" Asha went up to give Cristina a strong hug with her short little arms.

"Where've you been, Cristina? Your daughter's been waiting for you for hours."

Burke didn't intend to sound accusatory. In fact, Cristina was touched at first. But if Asha's words painted a sweet and considerate image of Preston, his own words wiped that out in a snap. What did he mean by _your daughter_, wasn't he the father of her child? Why did he have to sound so distant at times? It was something insignificant, but many a time, relationships were strained because of these minor slip of tongue.

"Sorry. George had a consult for me after the surgery." Without getting closer to her husband, Cristina grabbed her coat and was ready for the door. "Why don't we go to the pizza place and get a quick bite? Thanksgiving is approaching. I want to catch up with work before we get too busy."

_Cristina didn't like that pizza place. Why did she have to choose convenience over pleasure?_ Preston was hoping they could go to a nicer restaurant to spend the evening. On other days, he would have understood Cristina's work ethics. He was just like her. _Very driven._ But tonight, he was beginning to wonder about a lot of things. Even the fact that Cristina was taking Thanksgiving seriously did not lighten his mind. Was he asking for too much from the woman he loved? To attend to her job, her family, and all hallmark holidays equally well?

"Daddy, here's your onion." With an expression of mischief on her face, Asha transferred every piece of onion she picked out from her slice of pizza to her father's plate. Cristina faked a disapproving look before Burke received them gladly.

The couple exchanged affectionate looks as they watched their child finish her food. When he tried to talk to her, however, she flinched.

Burke knew Cristina was hiding something, but what was it?


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

Cristina wasn't sure if the manuscript she was reading deserved a rejection letter from the journal reviewer. The fact that she was struggling through it had more to do with what was on her mind than the quality of the work.

"Are you going to bed soon?" Preston was growing impatient. It was almost mid-night and Cristina was still at her work desk. If people saw them, they would have thought that she was the Chief, not him.

"Yes." Feeling guilty, Cristina turned off her desk lamp and slipped into bed swiftly.

Preston felt that the kiss on his forehead was only lukewarm. "Cristina, is everything ok?"

"Yes." The sensitivity in her husband's voice unnerved her.

"It's been a long day for both of us."

"Yes."

Preston couldn't take it anymore. "Why, Cristina, don't you have anything else to say apart from yes?"

"Sorry. I'm tired." Cristina's hand began drawing circles on his chest, trying to pacify him.

"I know," Preston looked deeply into her eyes and took her hand to his lips.

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The somber and soul-searching tones of Eugene Foote's violin music filled every vapor in the OR. Preston Burke was humming along, his fingers running through the arteries like an expert pianist.

"Suction."

"Okay, people. Let's begin shutting down the bypass. Release the clamps."

Everyone in the OR held their breath. Blood began coursing anew through shunted arteries, and the four chambers swelled with it, losing their dark cast for a brighter hue. Then slowly it picked up the regular rhythm that everyone knew since the day one was conceived in the mother's womb.

"Good job, everyone." Preston grinned under his mask. After his appointment as the Chief, he was spending less time in the OR. He missed the days when he could scrub in and out with Cristina side by side. Plunging his hands into strong current of hot water, Preston thought about how good it felt to be mending the broken hearts, to fill the human cavity with a vibrant beat.

But when the heart was beating steadily, we took it for granted and thought it never existed. Preston's hand unconsciously rose up to where his heart was. For a split second, it felt empty. All the happiness and success he had in life, yet he felt empty. Maybe that's what they called mid-life crisis.

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	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7

"Good morning, Doctor."

Cristina was surprised to see her patient in the corridor.

"How are you feeling this morning, Samuel?" Cristina quickly moved her gaze from the patient to his chart. She didn't want him to notice her fear.

"Doing fine. I want to leave before Thanksgiving. Don't want to waste a bed—"

"Right." Cristina smiled the _non-committal_ smile that had gradually became the trademark of the Burke couple.

"—and find better coffee than those they sell here." Pointing at Cristina's mug, Samuel continued with a grin.

"We normally make our own coffee at home." Cristina wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand self-consciously.

Samuel said in a quiet voice as Cristina walked her back to his room, "His mother made the best coffee in the world. Always strong. Sometimes too strong, almost like a smack on the head."

Cristina was surprised to hear that. Preston venerated his mother. If her mother liked making strong black coffee, why would the boy be drinking Cappuccino or Latte instead?

"But I deserve that smack on the head you know. It was the only cure for my hang-over in the morning." Samuel went on recount bits and pieces of family history Cristina was curious to know. "Bad habit I picked up from the Navy. Drinking my family, my life, everything away. And my boy? Thank God he was too young to know."

"Dr. Burke didn't seem to like black coffee." Cristina was tactfully encouraging Samuel to continue by saying that.

"Oh, of course. It was too bitter for a kid. He was an adventurer, ready to take risks. But the first time he sipped my coffee he spitted it all over my face. His mother was mad at him for staining the tablecloth. The next time he pleaded to try, she poured a steamy pot of milk on top."

"No wonder." They both smiled, before Samuel sank back into his melancholy.

"He was such a good boy. If only that horrible thing didn't happen. I broke the heart of the woman I loved by running away. What a coward I was. She must hate me now."

Cristina kept her eyes on his chart, unable to utter a word. Her mother used to call her father a _coward_. But Burke's mother never did that. The only time when Cristina brought up the father thing with her mother-in-law, Rose only mentioned that he left when Preston was 5 and never returned. _What was Rose thinking all these years? Was it love for her family that made her do that? Was it love for her man?_

Everyone in the family assumed Burke's father was back to the Navy. Everyone assumed he died tragically, including Preston, who hardly mentioned his father, but seemed to hold relatively fond memories of him nonetheless.

_What if he knew the truth? What truth was there to tell? _

Cristina's heart ached for both men. She wanted to run to Preston's office to give him a hug, although the poor man would have no idea where all these pent-up emotions were from.


	8. Chapter 8

Ch. 8

"Burke, do you want to ask Richard and Adele to come over for Thanksgiving?" Cristina asked as they couple strolled down the aisle in the supermarket.

"Why not?" Burke flashed a smile, enjoying every minute. They rarely did their grocery shopping together, but they always made time for that before Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"Who else?"

"Will Mer and Georgie and your friends come?" Asha gave out more names in excitement, remembering the Christmas party they had last year.

"I think they will be out of town, sweetie. We could try Bailey if you want." Cristina patted her daughter's head. "That way Billy could play some tunes on the violin while you sing along."

"I guess we'll need a bigger turkey then. How about this one?" Both mother and daughter nodded.

Everything was picture-perfect again, Cristina thought as they loaded their goods into the trunk. It felt amazingly good to be spending time with her family. She was hardly a holiday person before she met Preston, because there wasn't anyone to spend time with. _If only everyone could have a family to spend his Thanksgiving with._

Earlier that day, Cristina promised Samuel not to tell anyone about his past, about how he was drink-driving and took the life of a little girl, how he ran away, how he went penniless, how a few petty crimes accidentally threw him into bigger ones, which nearly qualified him for a permanent position in prison.

Too dramatic, thought Cristina, too unlike the god-like Preston Burke.

"Cristina, what's it?" She would be run over by other cars if she kept standing in the middle of the parking lot.

"Nothing."

"You don't have any surgeries scheduled until Saturday. Why not take a short break?" Burke spoke with some hesitation. He knew Cristina didn't like it when he put on the Chief cap but as her husband he also hated to see her looking so worn-out.

"Don't worry. I promise to be on call. It's Thanksgiving, not everyone lives as close to the hospital as we do." Cristina laced her fingers on her chin, her eyes traveling with rows of street lights they passed.

"Alright." Burke mumbled.


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9

"Good morning, Dr. Burke."

"Good morning, Dr. Bailey. Are you free tomorrow?"

"You're asking a woman with a husband and a 7-year-old if she'd be free before Thanksgiving? Your wife should know better." Bailey thought her boss was asking her to take extra shifts.

As if he could read her mind, Burke quickly explained, "Cristina and I thought you might want to come over for dinner tomorrow."

"Oh." The corners of Bailey's mouth curled up. "Too bad. We'll be at Tucker's family in Reno. Chief, you outta to head back to Alabama some day. Your mama must miss you. And Cristina. Why doesn't she ever go back to L.A.?"

"I'll give my mother a call. Maybe she could come to Seattle this Christmas. Cristina and I can't really take vacations."

"Workaholics." Bailey smirked. "You two are the perfect match, you know."

A brief flash of embarrassment crossed his brow as he scratched his head.

"Anyway, I got to check up on my patients. Happy Thanksgiving, Preston."

"You too, Miranda."

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When Burke went back to his office, he saw Cristina sitting on his sofa, placing her pen on a report she seemed to be struggling with. He still remembered this focused and serious expression of hers from 8 years ago when she started as an intern.

"Hey." Cristina shut the folder promptly and stood up when Burke walked to her side and kissed her neck.

"What brought you here?" Burke asked tenderly.

"Richard said they can't make it tomorrow." Beneath Cristina's matter-of-fact tone, Burke thought he caught something.

"Bailey will be out of town as well." Burke responded, "She reminded me to call my mom though."

"Really?" Cristina covered her mouth, just in time to tune down the surprise. Since making the promise the day before, Cristina had put behind the idea of telling Burke about Samuel. When he mentioned his mother, however, she couldn't help but feel uneasy again.

"I thought you love talking to Rose. What's wrong?" Burke never thought there were any in-law problems in the family, especially because Cristina never contacted her own annoying kin.

"It's just that I—" Cristina rolled her eyes and tried very hard to search for the right thing to say. "I have to go and pick up Asha now."

No more words, only silence.

Turmoil of the mind was hard to conceal in front of the person whom you loved so much, who knew you so well. Burke tried to gain a perspective of things bothering the woman he loved as she closed the door and left. _She was closing the door again. _He sighed.


	10. Chapter 10

Ch. 10

It wasn't easy for Cristina to forget about the conversation she just had with her patient.

"_Samuel, are you sure you don't want to give the chemoembolization a try? It won't cure you, but it could buy you more time and reduce some pain."_

"_I've made up my mind, Doctor. I don't want to spend Thanksgiving in the hospital."_

"_But where will you go?"_

"_It's OK, Doctor. Don't worry about me. Now, a young and pretty woman like you should go and get ready. It's not easy to be a doctor and a wife, is it?" Samuel pointed at her wedding ring._

"_A mother too." Cristina made it only audible to herself._

And so, to play the perfect wife and mother, Cristina swore to God, if there was one, she would throw that to the back of her mind. She thought a peaceful, quiet Thanksgiving spent with her family was all she needed.

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_Cristina needed an umbrella._ Burke sprang from his chair when he heard the thunder. Instinctively he ran down to the parking lot, only to find that their SUV was already gone. Dejected, he slowly motioned back to the hospital block.

It was unusually quiet. Most staff members were taking a few days off. Patients, even extremely frail ones, got the permission to spend time at home with their family.

Burke tried to recall how he spent Thanksgiving as a child. His mother used to prepare a huge turkey each year. His aunts and uncles would be there, as well as his cousins. Burke was a _well-behaved young man,_ as his grandparents put it, and to reward him for his exemplary behavior of not pulling the hair of his female cousins as everyone else did, he always got as much cranberry sauce as he wanted.

Those were fond memories, but they were growing hazy, except that one year when his father was back in time to help with the turkey. Burke remembered his mother's hearty laugh when his father surprised her from behind. Burke decided one day he would also be making the best turkey for somebody he loved. The irony was that when he first started dating Cristina, it was with Izzie Stevens, not Cristina Yang, whom he made the first turkey. No wonder Cristina was so cranky that evening. It wasn't only because Cristina was not comfortable with touchy holidays back in those days, but also because he was cooking with another woman.

_Maybe she was a little jealous? _Burke shook his head and smiled at the thought.


	11. Chapter 11

Ch. 11

Outside the hospital entrance, someone was watching quietly as the Chief of Surgery passed by.

Burke thought the man's raincoat was too thin to withstand the weather, so he stepped back and handed the stranger one of his umbrellas. "Take this, Mister."

"Thank you." The man gave a half bow. "I thought it's for someone else."

"It was. But she probably doesn't need it."

"Someone important to you?"

"My wife."

"Will she come back?"

Burke shut his own umbrella and sat beside the man. "Oh yes. She's only gone to pick up our kid"

"That's very sweet of you to bring her the umbrella."

Burke shrugged. He never cared if he was sweet or not, mostly he did these little things without thinking, automatically.

"You must be a very good husband and father."

_Am I?_ Burke wasn't completely sure.

"You don't think so?" The man seemed mildly astounded.

"Well, I try my best." They said it was easier to open up to complete strangers. That was exactly how Burke was feeling. "Everything seems perfect, too perfect."

"…but to you it's a problem."

"Yes."

"Maybe we're all a little scared. We don't want things to change."

"I do want some aspects to change, but I also want most of things to stay the same."

"Such as?"

"I like the fact that we seldom fight, but that doesn't mean I don't want us to talk." Burke stroked his forehead with his thumb. "I mean, we do talk, but she's always so cool and calm. I guess she wants to set a good example for our child."

"And you don't get a chance to sit down and talk to her?"

"We're either too busy or too tired. At first, I thought it was because we had a family, a child. I could understand her spending time cooing our baby. But now she's back to work and we're both getting our hands full again. I don't know, she doesn't seem like the woman I used to know anymore. Maybe I am asking for too much."

"Love is never too much." The man blinked. "I'm sure she knows. Give her some time. Maybe she's also feeling a bit insecure."

Burke nodded as the man stood up, ready to leave.

"Cherish every moment with your family before it's too late."

"I will."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, young man. You still have a whole life ahead of you to perfect your skills, as a doctor and a man in love."

"Happy Thanksgiving."

"Same to you. Bye."

Although Burke found the final remarks a bit odd, heenjoyed talking to the man, who was strangely familiar. He wished to have a one good look at the man again, but the raincoat was covering his face. He thought he saw tears at the corner of his eyes, but it was probably the rain.


	12. Chapter 12

Ch. 12

"Be careful, honey. You don't want to step into that puddle of water and stain your shoes."

"Mommy, who'll come to our dinner?"

"It'll just be the three of us."

"Well…" The little girl tried to mask her disappointment, "I like that too. But it won't be quiet like our dinner everyday, right?"

Cristina didn't say a word.

Asha looked up at her mother for a long while, her gloomy face, her drooping shoulders, something the little girl didn't often see. "Sorrie, Mommy. Did I say something wrong?"

"No, darling." A streak of self-doubt lingered on Cristina's face. "Asha, tell Mommy honestly, are we really that quiet at dinner?"

The girl nodded. "Mrs. Smith said that if we talk when we eat, we'll choke on our food and die."

Amused by the teacher's absurd comment, Cristina replied, "Only if you talk too much."

"I will have to talk a lot if both Daddy and you don't." Asha responded thoughtfully.

The words struck Cristina like the thunder in the sky.

Just when the mother and daughter were about to shut Mrs. Smith's Peter Rabbit umbrella and dash into the car, a dark figure shuffling on the nearly empty street caught their attention.

"Where are you going? The weather is horrible." Cristina thought her patient was doing something against anyone's better judgment.

Asha's little hand tightened around her mother's. She wasn't sure who the person was, but the way how her mother was almost yelling at the man made her wonder if it was a bad person. "Who's he?" She whispered.

"Is this your little girl?" Lowering his head, he asked fondly, "How old are you?"

As good natured as she normally was, Asha didn't say a word. Her mother told her never to talk to strangers. That, however, did not stop them from looking into each other's eyes. The smile on his face drained when the truth became obvious. Instead of bothering the mother and daughter further, Samuel stepped back, ready to walk away, before he felt the firm clutch of the female surgeon. "Please, let me give you a ride to a hotel."

He probably wasn't a bad man, Asha thought to herself. "Mister, you can take my seat at the front. It's warmer there."

Sometimes, human kindness would bring tears to our eyes.


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks for the reviews! I know my chapters are fairly short, but I guess I want give leave room for people to breathe (bad excuse). I'm still working on the remaining chapters because I want it to be realistic and am debating with myself regarding the ending.

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Ch. 13

"Good evening, we want a room for this gentleman."

"For one night?"

"Yes, that's enough." Samuel butted in before Cristina got a chance to speak.

_This man is so stubborn._ _Why couldn't he stay longer? Where'll he go afterwards?_ Like father like son. Now Cristina knew where Burke got his obstinacy from.

"Please put everything on my credit card."

"No, Sir, please take mine," Samuel stopped his daughter-in-law, "I had a job after the release. I don't have a lot but I can take care of my bills."

Cristina blushed. She was ashamed of how she assumed he was penniless and homeless by default. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about." If Samuel was offended, he didn't show it in his face; if he was mad, it was over his shameful past rather than Cristina's unintentionally condescending behavior.

Asha was standing on her toes beside Cristina, pulling the rim of her mother's coat. "Mommy, it's late. Daddy will be worried."

"Honey, we're leaving. Let us say goodbye to…uh… Mommy's friend." Cristina tidied her daughter's curls with her fingers.

"Goodbye, Mister. Have a good evening!" Whoever this friend was, Asha knew it was someone important. Otherwise, her mother would not have done so much for him.

"You too, little one." It hurt to hear Cristina call him a _friend_. He was not sure if he deserved to be called a friend, even though he was more than just a friend. Physically, he could also feel the surging pain, but he hid it with a grin long enough until Cristina and Asha were out of sight.

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As they walked out of the lobby, Cristina knew Asha was right. The sky was completely dark. Not only would Burke be worried, but he would probably be out looking for them now. Once they hopped into their car, Cristina saw several unheard voice messages on her phone.

"Cristina, where are you? Why didn't you pick up the phone?"

"I'm sorry, Preston. I ran into something just now."

"What happened? Were you in an accident? Are you OK?"

"We're OK. I'm sorry."

Burke was not sure how many more _sorries_ he was ready to take. In the past few days it seemed to have become Cristina's favorite phrase. It was a miracle that he did not lash out. "Drive safely, Cristina."

"I'm sor—"

"No more sorries today, OK?" _It scares me when you keep saying sorry._

"OK." Cristina sighed. She was expecting harsher treatment from her husband. His gentle and comforting voice only made her feel guilty.

Adjusting her rear mirrors, Cristina heard her daughter ask in a soft but inquisitive tone, "Mommy, does Daddy know your friend? Was he a friend from the hospital as well?"

The question was a more than legitimate speculation. Cristina never really had friends or people she would call friends before she entered Seattle Grace. Thinking further, every friend of hers was also Burke's friend. Except this time.

"Yes, darling. I met him in the hospital. Daddy doesn't know him. I'll have to think about it."

"Good, because he looks sad. We shouldn't let him celebrate Thanksgiving alone." Asha laced her fingers on her chin with a pensive look, a look that was slightly droll when it appeared on a 3-year-old's face.

"Can you promise Mommy not to talk about what happened before I talk to Daddy in private?"

As they pulled into the driveway, Cristina saw her husband standing in the rain, holding up his umbrella in a sexy way, his eyes fondly fixated on her.


	14. Chapter 14

Ch. 14

"Dinner's ready shortly, ladies. Go wash up and get ready." Burke's radiant smile dissolved the defensive frown on Cristina's face. She could not understand why Burke seemed to be in such good spirits and she dared not guess.

"I didn't know you're cooking tonight. I thought you'd only be preparing the Dinner tomorrow."

"Well, since I'm cooking tonight, you'll be staying home to make the Thanksgiving Dinner tomorrow."

"Stop teasing me, Preston. I can't handle the turkey!" _Was that why he was giddy?_ _Coming up with as crazy an idea as asking me to cook?_

Burke walked around to the other side of the counter, and kissed her gently on the cheek. "It wouldn't be a Thanksgiving Dinner if there's no turkey. I won't risk it. I'll be taking a day-off and we'll do it together."

"I see." Cristina nodded. She was trying hard to think of the last time they cooked together.

"That means you don't have any excuse to go to the hospital tomorrow." Burke spoke as he poured the spaghetti onto the plate.

It was not obvious to Cristina that Burke spent the entire evening thinking about their relationship. He felt like finding a precious book after spending hours searching for it from shelf to shelf, but this book he was desperate to read did not always open up. Even when he tried hard, he could only get a brief peek into it before it was closed again.

_She would never change._ He would have to get used to it. Besides, loving her was never a choice. It came along as natural as breathing. There was no turning back. It was frustrating to feel like he was the one who always had to make an effort, but if it would make things better it was worth trying. Besides, he realized neither of them has been trying since Asha was born.

They looked deeply at one another and saw something that had been missing for so long. She took his face in her hands and kissed him.

"Daddy!" Asha called from the living room. "Grandma's calling."

Cristina pulled away. It was awkward how the moment was broken.

She had to talk to Rose as well. She needed some guidance.


	15. Chapter 15

Ch. 15

"Mother, you can't be serious!" Burke signaled to Cristina and Asha to go to the table and start eating while he busily shuffled through the coffee table for a pen.

Cristina was concerned when she saw her husband rolling his eyes and shaking his head. She wondered what had happened to her mother-in-law. It did not sound like she was in an accident or anything remotely close to that, although Burke reacted almost like she did.

"Yes, I got it. See you then." Burke scribbled something down and hanged up, not giving Cristina a chance to say hi.

"Daddy, what's wrong? Why didn't you let Asha talk to Grandma?" Battling the spaghetti with her folk, the little girl tilted her head and made a small frown.

"Because you'll have plenty of time to talk to her tomorrow." Still shaking his head, Burke turned to Cristina, "you won't believe this. My mother suddenly decided to come over for Thanksgiving."

Her eyebrows twitching, Cristina covered her mouth to prevent the food from falling out. "That's—" _What a coincidence! _

"Great! Grandma has never spent Thanksgiving with us before!" Asha was thrilled and waved her folk in the air.

Burke and Cristina looked at each other with a half smile.

"Can I go and pick her up tomorrow?" The eagerness in Cristina's voice amused Burke.

"Looks like your Mommy's trying to avoid her cooking responsibilities."

"It's OK, Daddy. I'll help you in the kitchen. We'll give Grandma a surprise. We'll cook lots and lots of food!"

Patting his grinning child's head, Burke shone an equally huge grin at Cristina. _It'll be the best Thanksgiving ever._

_It's such a chaotic Thanksgiving. _Cristina found it hard to believe so much could happen within a few days. Even though things seemed to be happening with such flawless timing, the cynic in her was not convinced they would come to a perfect ending.

"Cristina, your food's getting cold." Burke tried to pull her out of her thoughts.

"When's the flight tomorrow? Maybe I could hang out with Rose for a little before coming home for dinner?" _Maybe I could take her to someone._

Burke raised his eyebrows. _Cristina's being suspiciously hospitable._

"What do you think?" Cristina thought he did not hear her. "I know you don't like it when she seizes control of our kitchen and orders you around like one of her restaurant boys."

Burke's eyes twinkled. The way how Cristina attended to such details was remarkable. He might have been wrong in believing she was not putting enough effort into their relationship.

"Sure. She's such a lucky woman to have you as her daughter-in-law."

Of course, Cristina was thankful for her husband's trustful nature.

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"Cristina!" Rose was thrilled that her daughter-in-law warmly returned her hug. _She's come such a long way. _Rose still remembered the first time they met and how Cristina was stiff as a tree when she gave her a hug.

"How are you, Rose? We're so excited to have you for Thanksgiving this year!" While the joy on her face was genuine, Cristina's voice sent another more subtle message to her in-law.

"I'm good. Happy to be in Seattle." Rose was ten times as direct as Burke and Cristina combined. "Tell me, did Preston bully you? I'll beat him up if he did."

"Oh no, Rose, he didn't." Cristina wondered what gave her in-law that impression.

"Then why that gloomy look on your face, darling?"

"Well, it's not about him…"

"Is it about you?"

"No. Well. I don't know."

"I'm not good at handling suspense, child. Tell me what's wrong."


	16. Chapter 16

Ch. 16

Holding her in-law's hand affectionately, Cristina asked, "Did you love your husband?"

"Cristina, don't tell me you don't love our Preston anymore!" Rose misunderstood the question. "Is there another guy?"

"No, Rose. I don't mean that." _Of course I love him. Of course I do._

"Good, good." Rose lightly squeezed Cristina's hand. "I know my boy could be dull to live with sometimes, but he's a good guy."

"No, he isn't boring at all. Preston is the only person I could imagine spending my life with." A small smile lit up her face.

"OK." Rose was both happy and perplexed when she heard that. "So, why're you asking me about my marriage?"

"Rose, how was Preston's father like? You never talked about him."

Cristina did not know anticipate the impact of her words on her jovial in-law. The silence made her regret having asked that question.

"He's a good man." Rose was not really upset by the question. She only needed some time to gather her thoughts. She wished she could say more, but it was hard to talk about someone from nearly four decades ago. Things she did not want to remember had been filtered out, almost entirely.

"What happened to him?" Cristina tried to rephrase her thought. "I mean, did he really die when serving in the Navy?"

"Cristina, did you find out something?" Rose began to wonder where all these questions were coming from.

"I am just… curious…I don't know anything about my own father and I've always wondered how Preston's father was like." Making excuses in front of Rose was much harder than in front of her son.

"There are stones that are better left unturned."

Cristina acknowledged what her in-law said with a doubtful stare.

"Rose, if he's still alive, would you want to see him once more?"

This time, it was her in-law who responded with an equally hesitant gaze.

"Will you forgive him for what he did to you and the family?" Cristina tried to be persistent.

"It might sound silly, but I won't have to forgive him, Child."

Squinting her eyes, Cristina muttered, "why?"

"I never held a grudge against him. What he did wasn't right, but I never stop thinking about him, hoping he'd return some day."

"You do?" Cristina was surprised.

"That's very naïve, isn't it?" The older woman made a quiet smile.

"No. Not at all."

Cristina laid her hand over her in-law's shoulder and rested her head on it.

Then she sprang up, as if something had caught fire on her mind, "We've to hurry up before he's gone."

Rose starred at Cristina. "You mean, you actually know where he is?"

Cristina nodded. She wasn't sure what else she should say. She was afraid Rose would blame her for not breaking the news to anyone else sooner.

"You did not tell Preston, did you?"

Cristina shook her head when Rose showed a sign of relief. It surprised Cristina to realize that she might have done the right thing by not saying anything.

"It's been so many years, but it might still be traumatic for the boy to hear."

"Do you want to see him then?" Cristina was confused by her mother-in-law.

"There wasn't a single day in my life that I didn't."

Rose's reaction was a little more dramatic than Cristina would have imagined.

"OK. Let's go." Cristina kept her fingers crossed that Samuel hadn't already left.

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Author's Note: How long will it take before Cristina tells Burke about it? I have no idea. I am not going to speed things up because I really have no idea.


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry for the delay. I am still thinking about the ending of this story. First, I don't want it to end so soon. Second, the ending I planned is not the one most people want. Third, I am trying so hard to come up with ideas for another fic that I am not keeping up with this one… So, tell me what you think…

Ch. 17

"I'm ready. Let's get started!" The apron was clearly too big for his little girl.

Looking at Asha tip-toeing into the kitchen with her eyes filled with wonder, Burke realized how fast his daughter was growing up, every second, every minute. The years were slipping away. Soon she would be too old to jump onto her daddy's lap.

"_Cherish every moment with your family before it's too late."_ The words of the stranger suddenly came to mind.

"Daddy, are you gonna teach me how to make a turkey?"

"Sweetheart, that's not an easy task." Switching his gaze between his daughter and the turkey, which was almost twice the size of her head, Burke smiled. Cristina never had a passion to cook. Must have amazed her, he felt, to have raised a child who would rather be in the kitchen than play with anatomical dolls.

"But may I try?" Burke sat her up on the tall wooden stool, so she could see clearly what he was doing.

After he was half way done with the turkey, he was surprised Asha's eyes were still following closely. She had been so quiet yet vigilant. Trying not to kill her enthusiasm, he thought about what she could do. Then his eyes twinkled.

"Why don't you help me with this? Your granny loves chocolate cake." Talking about his mother brought a grin to his face.

Burke did not grow up surrounded by material comfort, but Rose was always there for him. He had always been fond of his mother. He almost worshipped her, for her kindness, her generosity, her determination. All the virtues she taught him she did so through her action. Burke remembered how their restaurant used to have a special Thursday evening every week to welcome the homeless to eat with dignity for free.

There was always a reason to be grateful on Thanksgiving Day. He was as excited as a child on his first pony ride when he knew he could spend this Thanksgiving with the 3 most important ladies in his life.

"So I'll have to stir really really hard?" Asha remembered watching her dad make pound cakes for Christmas.

"Yes, but not too hard OK?" Burke patted his daughter's head with the back of his hand as his palms were too greasy. "What you need is to blend in everything and make it smooth."

"Alright." Asha began her task with confidence written all over her movement. _Cristina's daughter. Nobody would be wrong about that._

"After that we'll prepare the salad." Rubbing the grease off his hand under the running water, Burke walked towards the other corner of the kitchen to get the potatoes.

"Daddy." The vibration and the beeping sound startled Asha. "Come'ere."

Burke was equally surprised when he saw Cristina's pager amidst the brown grocery bags. A doctor's pager was like a police's gun. They have the right to turn it off, but Cristina would never do that, much less leaving it at home.

"It's OK, sweetheart. Looks like your Mommy forgot to bring her pager today." Burke signaled his little girl to spoon the batter into the cake pan while he started calling his wife. He knew the hospital would get a hold of her eventually if it was something really urgent, but he felt obliged to call first.

Before he was able to reach her, the hospital called.

"Dr. Burke, sorry to bother you. Dr. Yang's not answering her pager and her cell-phone is directed to her voice-mail—"

_Cristina must have forgotten to recharge the battery of her phone again. _Burke shook his head.

Although the intern did not sound too desperate, the Chief of Surgery wanted to make sure everything was alright. "What're you calling her for?"

"There's a patient at the ambulance bay. He seems to have been robbed but we found Dr. Yang's name card in his pocket. We thought maybe she could help."

"So you aren't calling her for an operation?" _Cristina wouldn't want to be back to Seattle Grace unless she could cut someone open._

"No. But it's of utmost importance, Sir. A man's life is at stake!" The intern's screeching voice made him gasp. Burke began to wonder if he was talking to a wannabe actress or a surgical intern.

After pondering on it for moment, Burke said calmly, "I'll ask her to contact you as soon as possible."

He hoped his mother would pick up the phone.


	18. Chapter 18

My internet wasn't working this morning, so I've got another chapter written.

Ch. 18  
"Excuse me, we're looking for the guest of room 907."

"Sorry, ma'am, the gentleman has already checked out this morning."

"Really?" Cristina was bewildered. "It's only 10am now."

"Yes, but he checked out really early. I heard he's trying to catch his flight to Alabama."

Disappointment swept through the two women. Rose felt like her husband was running away from them once more.

Along with disappointment, Cristina was worried. "I was hoping to come back and check on him. He's supposed to stay and rest."

"You mean, he's not feeling well?" Rose covered her mouth with her hand.

"I'm sorry, Rose. He's very ill." Cristina averted her gaze. After many years of medical training, she was still uncomfortable in breaking the news to relatives of dying patients.

"Is that why he was here in Seattle?" Rose wanted to make sense of it.

"I think he's here to see Preston, although Samuel refused to actually talk to him."

The air was stuffed with a sadness that was not supposed to be present on such a festive day.

Rose smiled melancholically. "It's funny how I just got here and he's going back to Alabama."

"Perhaps he wanted to go home and see you again." It all began to make sense to Cristina, for Samuel had always insisted on not spending Thanksgiving at the hospital. "He knows he's going to die."

"Oh, Cristina!" Overcome with emotion, Rose held her daughter-in-law tightly.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. Maybe we're predestined not to meet again in this life."

"Rose, do you want to go to our home now?"

"Can we go back to the airport and see if his flight has departed yet? I don't think there're that many flights to Birmingham from Seattle."

The fortitude in her voice unsettled Cristina.

"OK. I already told Preston we'd be hanging out a bit before going home."

"But let me just call to tell him again. You know, he gets worried all the time, easily."

A gentle sigh came from Rose. "I know. My boy is a delicate creative. That's why I don't want to let him see me looking so wretched right now."

"Oh no, my phone is out of battery again." Cristina bit her lips.

"So is mine. I forgot to pack my charger."

"Let me go and make a few phone calls at the booth. Can you wait at the lobby?"

"Sure. Maybe I'll ask the concierge to see if he knew which flight Sam might be taking."

The two women hurried off in different directions to complete their mission.

"Hi, Jenny. It's Dr. Yang calling. I'm just checking in to see if you left me any messages because my phone is dead."

"Dr. Yang. Has Dr. Burke told you about the patient already? I think he said you left your pager at home."

"What patient?"

"Oh, we got a man who's been robbed and is still unconscious. We found your name card in his pocket. Thought you might know who he is."

"Oh my God. How old is he? Is he injured? Is he doing OK?"

The intern had never seen Cristina Yang act so frantic about any patient before. "He's probably in his late 60s. We didn't find any visible wounds, but we ran some tests. Looks like he has terminal liver cancer that's inoperable?"

"Right, Jenny. Keep an eye on him. His life is your sole responsibility now. I'll be back in a dash. You better make sure he's still alive when I get here."

Without putting the phone speaker back properly, Cristina ran to find her in-law.

"Rose, I know where he is. We need to go to the hospital now."


	19. Chapter 19

This story probably has too many twists and turns already, and no matter how I try to bring it to a happier note, I can't. We gotta be realistic.

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Ch. 19

"Daddy, are you sure you wanna continue?"

"It's fine, sweetie. We still have a lot to get ready for."

"But we dunno where Mommy is and everyone's looking for her. Do we have to go and look for her too?"

Burke stroked his daughter's head and said reassuringly, "I'm sure she's fine." He hoped so. His mother wasn't picking up the phone either. Worried wasn't the feeling he currently experienced, because Cristina already told him she wanted to hang out with his mother. He also called the airline to check. No, there was no reason to be worried. He laughed at his own over-reaction. Besides, if that patient of hers needed something badly and he could be of any help, the anxious intern would have called again already.

Yet, he wasn't at ease either. It was funny how he was left in the kitchen, preparing Thanksgiving Dinner with someone else again. First year in their relationship, Burke cooked with Izzie the neurotic baker. This time he was with his own daughter. Without Cristina. Both times.

It was already 2. Had it not been the fact that his mother was with her, Burke would be 99 sure that Cristina was hiding at the hospital now, just like what she did the first time. To him, she was running away. Again.

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And Burke's instinct was actually right. Cristina was at Seattle Grace, only time, she had another woman in love and in pain beside her.

Jenny the intern kept firing questions at Cristina about what they should do to save the patient. Cristina could see a shadow of her old self in the intern. The same stubbornness, the total reliance on science and medicine. She would make a great surgeon some day, but apart from learning to soften her attitude, Jenny also had the misfortune of having a screeching voice.

"But you aren't doing anything!"

"Jenny, we do what we can. We always try our best, but there's a limit."

"Well, we could try chemoembolization. It might give him more time."

"We have to respect the will of the patient." Cristina bit her lip as she said that. Convincing her intern was one thing, convincing herself was another. She regretted that she and Rose did not get back to the hospital in time when Samuel regained consciousness briefly and signed the do not operate and do not resuscitate documents, before lapsing into another coma.

It was heartbreaking watching her mother-in-law holding Samuel's hand, looking at the man fondly, not knowing anything Jenny was telling Cristina outside the room. How would Rose react when she knew her man was giving up? When our beloved one was hurt or ill, we always felt scared. That was how Cristina felt years ago when Burke was shot. But at least neither of them was giving up.

"Jenny, in palliative medicine, it's the quality of life that matters the most--to ease the physical and psychological pain of the patient and to prepare the family for bereavement. One day, you'll understand."

Cristina put on her best mentor mask and stayed oddly calm. She could not deal with what was happening inside that room, inside her patient's body, inside her own heart, but she could help the intern out here to grow as a better physician.

"Right. Dr. Yang, if there's nothing else, I'll go check on other patients."

"Bye, Jenny." Cristina responded mechanically. "Thanks for watching over him just now. He…he means a lot to me."

"Anytime, Dr. Yang."

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	20. Chapter 20

Ch. 20

Laying her hand on Rose's shoulder, Cristina motioned forward to check on her in-laws. She could not explain the feeling in her, but she felt closer to the Burkes than her own parents. In truth, she did not remember how her father was like.

If only there could be more time. Cristina yearned to understand the couple in front of her. They were a mystery to her. She could not comprehend the depth of the relationship. What kept Rose from running away in face of a man who ran away time after time? How could she tell if he still loved her? If not, why was she not giving up?

Then, a sudden realization turned Cristina's face pale. It hit her that she was just like Samuel, and Burke his mother. Cristina was always running away. Did he know that she loved him? Hadn't they been through that stage in their relationship already, long before they were married? Cristina was surprised and angry at herself. It was funny how their relationship had regressed to that earlier stage of uncertainties, how it had fallen back. If she did not start picking up some speed, soon enough she would be hit from behind. It was like driving on the freeway. One simply could not be at 35 miles per hour once she had chosen to drive on the freeway. She could pull over or leave for a while, but sometimes it could be harder to find the next entrance or merge back to the main lane.

"Cristina, is he going to be OK?" Rose's question brought Cristina back to reality.

"He's heavily medicated now, but he should wake up soon." Cristina was avoiding the close-ended question.

"That means a yes?"

This time, Cristina remained silent.

Getting the meaning behind the ice-cold expression, Rose rubbed her temple as she shut her eyes, avoiding tears to stream down. "All those years we've lost—"

"Rose, should we let Preston know? He has a right to see his father before he dies."

The last word lingered on longer than both of them could bear. Luckily, nobody overheard their conversation and nobody was going to tell Preston Burke everything before either woman did, for if that happened, as in most fiction, it would be hard to imagine how he would ever forgive them.

"What would he think about me, you," shaking the hand of Samuel lightly, Rose tightened her eyebrows. "And him?"

Looking hard at the white tiles on the floor, Cristina did not have the answer either.

"Sometimes, after you've kept a secret for so long, the mere fact that you've been withholding it is considered an unforgivable crime."

Cristina understood every single word of her in-law's, which perfectly described how she felt. "I know, Rose. But how can I live with the burden of guilt for the rest of my life? Some day he would find out his father did not die while serving the Navy; that he was a decent man nonetheless; that they could have reconciled—had we not stepped in."

It was selfish of her to talk about the burden of guilt, Cristina wished she could take those words back because they must have pierced the heart of Rose further.

Normally, Cristina would be rational in weighing the pros and cons before doing something. That balance sheet did not pop up in her head this time. There was too much risk involved, and depriving a person of the chance to know a loved one was dying, the chance to see his father once again, was more than a math problem. It was a moral issue.

"God, what then must we do?" Rose was on the verge of break down now.


	21. Chapter 21

This is a very short chapter. I wrote Chs. 19-21 together. It might have made more sense to put 20 and 21 together, but I don't want 20 to be too long. And you see, after this one, my mind goes blank.

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Ch. 21

Instead of panicking together, Cristina held her breath and put herself together. _Someone had to be in charge, someone had to stay cool. _

"Maybe we've over reacted. Maybe Burke would simply be delighted to see his long-lost father. Maybe he won't think we've been hiding anything from him deliberately." Cristina wondered where the optimism came from as she juggled out those words. Must be all those _Lifetime_ and _Disney_ movies she watched with her daughter.

Would Burke be as forgiving as those movie heroes? Would things work out alright? She was very scared now. Already she was feeling her marriage was at stake, and now this. She grinded her teeth, hating herself for not going to Burke to spill out everything right from the beginning.

"My boy isn't a man who has a lot of anger towards the world, but this isn't something as simple as being stepped on the toe."

"Rose, if we don't call him now, we might regret later."

"Cristina." One could feel how shattered Rose was feeling from her voice.

A single drop of tears rolled down Samuel's check as he heard the two women wrestled about what to do. It was all his fault. He had hurt too many people in this life. He remembered when asked how many times one should forgive others, Jesus said 70 times 7. But how many times could someone be forgiven in a lifetime?

"I am sorry."

Cristina and Rose turned to look at the man in bed, before he coded.


	22. Chapter 22

I should be working on another story, but this one flows more freely, so here we go:

Ch. 22

"I'm sorry."

"What's the matter, Cristina?" Burke dropped everything in the sink and ran to the living room when the phone rang. He was planning to be at least a little punitive in his tone when Cristina called, but the moment he heard her voice, his attitude softened.

"I'm sorry."

"What's wrong, Cristina?" Now he was beginning to feel really worried. Did something bad happen to his mother?

"Burke. Preston. You have to come to the hospital now. Bring Asha with you."

Throwing his apron on the counter, he grabbed his jacket and his daughter as he continued to question his wife. "Take a deep breath, then tell me what's going on, OK?"

"Someone, Rose and I want you to come and see someone before it's too late. Please. Please hurry. Promise me you won't hate your mother for that." Cristina left herself out, because she thought Burke had every reason to hate her, but not his mother.

"I'm coming."

Burke was shaking badly as he tried to open the car door, so much so that he couldn't open it. He wasn't completely sure about what was going on, but his hunch was that it was something terrible. Rubbing his forehead feeling extremely frustrated, he ushered his little girl to the back seat.

"Daddy, are you not feeling well?" Asha was scared too. Her daddy would never forget her seatbelt. Mommy would occasionally forget, but Daddy was extremely careful.

"Sweetheart, your mother and grandma are at the hospital. They want us to go there now."

"Oh!" Asha opened her mouth and gasped. Anything to do with the hospital must be awful. "Are they hurt?"

"No, baby. They're fine. She didn't say who it is, but we've to go and see someone."

Burke was trying to imagine who it might be. At first he thought maybe Rose and Cristina were trying to be the good Samaritans again and saved someone at the airport or on their way home. Maybe that someone was in a critical condition that only he was capable of saving. Yet, the tone in Cristina's voice was more than what the remorse of spoiling someone's Thanksgiving would entail.

"Daddy," Asha knew she was not supposed to say it, but she couldn't stop herself. "Is it Mommy's friend? The one she met at the hospital?"

Furrowing his eyebrows, Burke made a safe stop in front of the red light before turning to his daughter. "What friend?"

Instantly Asha felt guilty for breaking the promise she made with her mother. "Sorry, Daddy. Mommy said I should never tell you. She said she didn't want to upset you."

_What? Does Cristina have an affair? Is that why she's sorry?_ Burke found the thought disgusting. "Why? Why should I be sad?" His words were filled with sarcasm and fury, very unlike the Daddy Asha knew.

"Because the man is very ill and he has very sad eyes, just like yours."

Stepping on the pedal harder and gliding through the rain, Burke made a sharp turn as he pondered on Asha's response. He never thought his own eyes were sad, but they certainly were beginning to burn now.

"Dad, please don't be mad at Mommy. She's sad too. She wanted to tell you but her friend begged us not to." Asha tried to look through her father's blank expression, which terrified her. "He seemed to like you a lot. He smiled whenever Mommy talked about you. Why, Daddy, why do people who love each other have to make each other sad?"

Asha began to sob as her voice faded off. After all, she was barely 3. This was too much for her, however mature she appeared to be most of the time.

"I'm sorry, darling." Burke's heart ached. He wished he could hold his daughter tightly and rock her. What a horrible father he was, traumatizing his own daughter this way? He shook his head again. "I'm sorry, Asha. I didn't mean to scare you. Will you forgive your daddy?"

Still feeling insecure and confused, Asha was sucking her thumb, something she had not done since she started to speak. "Will you forgive Mommy?"

Burke paused. He was not sure if he could commit to that before he knew the magnitude of the problem at hand.

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	23. Chapter 23

I didn't read over my stuff. If you spot typos and so on, please bear with me. It's almost mid-night now... So much for failing to be a responsible writer.

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Ch. 23

"Honey, let's go upstairs and find Mommy and Grandma, OK?" Burke parked his car and pulled his daughter out, clearly evading the question.

"Dr. Burke."

"Jenny, where's Cristina?"

Standing at the nurse counter, the intern nearly jumped when the Chief walked towards her.

"Room 407." Jenny sensed that something was wrong with Dr. Burke. He was very tense and jittery today. "Are they expecting you?"

"Thank you Jenny." Burke rushed off, his demeanor resembling that of a mad man's.

The intern threw a puzzled glance over the father and daughter and swore to herself she would never get married.

Getting out of the elevator, immediately he saw Cristina prancing back and forth, looking obviously torn apart. That image alone made him shiver. The only other time Burke saw that face was after he was shot. It was an expression of fear and avoidance, frustration and apprehension.

"Burke." Cristina kneeled down to give Asha a half hug and threw her arms around her husband immediately afterwards, stroking the back of his head. "It's my fault, I should have told you earlier."

Burke knew it was cruel, but he pulled away from her embrace and asked matter-of-factly, "Where is Rose?"

"She's in the room with your father."

"What do you mean, Cristina? My father?"

Rose stood up and froze the minute she saw her son hurried into the room. One hand of hers was still holding Samuel's, the other covering her face. It probably wasn't a big deal lying to her son about his father all these years, giving him the illusion that his father died a hero who served his country with much bravery. That did not stop Rose from feeling like an extremely inept mother. "Preston, I—"

"What's this all about? Is this a prank?" Burke motioned forward and continued, "What am I supposed to believe in? Why would this man be my father? My father has already passed away."

"Preston, my son, let Mama explain this to you later. He is your father. He really is. He was here in Seattle just to see you before he dies."

Walking even closer to the bedside, Burke now had a clear view of the old man, his old man. It was the familiar stranger he met outside Seattle Grace. Maybe, maybe his mother wasn't lying. Not at this moment. But if that was the case, she had been lying over the past three decades.

"Then why did you tell me my father's dead? Did you know where he was?" Burke needed to analyze every piece of information, because he could not bear to hate his mother because of this incident.

"No, my boy. I knew he's alive, but I never managed to ask."

"I can't believe that. And you, Cristina, you knew it the whole time but you hid this from me? How many more secrets could our relationship tolerate?"

"They're only trying not to upset you or grandpa." Asha protested as she walked towards her grandma and hanged onto a corner of the older woman's dress.

The word _grandpa _came off her mouth so naturally that it amazed everyone in the room, including Samuel, who was coming in and out of his coma after the previous scare, which he struggled through without any help from emergency medicine. He knew that would be the last time, because he had already signed the DNR papers and his strength was not enough for him to sail through another attack.

Seeing the old man's eyes twitch, Burke instinctively laid his hand on Samuel's cheek. He couldn't explain what motivated him to do so, nor could he tell why his fury towards Cristina and his own mother had evaporated.

Feeling the warmth and softness of his son's hand, Samuel opened his eyes.


	24. Chapter 24

It's almost the end now. I am going to miss this story. It's one of those that came out really smoothly, although there're a few places where you might spot some discrepancies. Thanks for all the reviews. There aren't many of you, but there's enough incentive to keep me going.

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Ch. 24

The room was dead quiet and the air was stale. The only movement came from the liquid dripping down the IV line. None of the 5 was sure since when the room had begun to feel too crowded. Each of them, with the exception of Asha, had questions and answers bombarding their head.

Rose wanted to say something, but her son raised his hand bluntly and gestured her to stop.

There were a million threads of thoughts in his mind and he dared not speak, for fear of entangling them further. Instead, Burke sat on the bed, carefully examining the man in front of him. This man, his father, was alive all these years. Where was this man when his mother was threatened by greedy proprietors to sell the restaurant? Where was he when Burke broke his nose fighting with a classmate who called him the unwanted, fatherless child? Where was he when Burke graduated first in medical school and made his mother proud?

And the most unsettling of all was that he, Preston Burke, among everyone else in the room, appeared to be the only one who did not already know something about the man lying in bed, the one he used to fondly call Dad.

It wasn't anger. It was more than that. Burke felt left behind. All his life the surgeon wanted to get ahead and be the leader, because, as he now realized, that way people would have to follow him and he would never be left behind.

"Forgive me, will you? Samuel was fully conscious now. He held out his hand to reach his son, disrupting Burke's train of thought.

It was an awkward moment. For 5 seconds, nobody moved. Rose was heart broken seeing her son remain stone-cold. Cristina also couldn't believe her loving husband was capable of such heartlessness. Burke touched Samuel's cheek earlier, why couldn't he take the old man's hand this time and reconcile? Were they really expecting too much from Preston Burke?

Despite that, Samuel smiled before closing his eyes to hide his tears. At the same instant, Asha jumped off her grandma's lap to kiss her grandpa's hand.

Everyone was startled by her move. Burke took off his glasses and grinded his teeth, feeling lost and dejected. Why was it so hard to take the hand? Why did he have such a small heart? He was such a bad example to his own daughter. Such a bad father himself.

"It's alright. It's gonna be alright." Cristina stepped up and squeezed his shoulder. She knew Burke might push her away again, but she could not stop herself. The sight of his grimace was a torture to her mind. She wanted him to know that no matter how inept she had been as a wife, she was there for him. Cristina could feel that his muscles were tense and there was something behind the icy stare. It was something one might refer to as helplessness.

Cristina felt the same.

Burke knew if he didn't grab the opportunity, it would be too late. Already they had missed too many years, what more could they bear to lose? Yes, he was mad that his father deserted them. Yes, he was mad that everyone in the room tried to conceal it from him. Nonetheless, no child would genuinely wish his own father dead right in front of his eyes. As a surgeon, Burke was mad that he could not do anything to save him.

"Dad."

Rose steadied her gaze upon her son's face, hoping to decipher his expression. She turned to her in-law for additional clues, only to find Cristina looking equally defeated.

"Cristina, is he stable enough to be discharged tonight?" Burke broke the silence.

Flipping through the case record and checking his vital signs, Cristina mumbled "yes" hesitantly. _What was he thinking?_

"Let's go home. The turkey should be ready."

Cristina nodded and Rose followed suit.

The room was silent once more. The word forgiveness was never uttered again, but they all assumed it had been granted.


	25. Chapter 25

Thanks for the reviews! It's been one of my favorite stories to write, because I created and developed my own characters.

Ch. 25

Rose never thought her last minute decision to fly to Seattle for Thanksgiving would take her onto this roller-coaster ride of emotions. Calmly observing the other 4 people in the car, she was truly grateful that things finally seemed alright.

"Here we are. Mother, let me help you with your luggage. Cristina, why don't you take Asha upstairs and check up on the turkey?" Burke resumed his role as the man in command. That felt good.

"How about your father?" Rose was unsure if her son was deliberately ignoring his dad. Preston was being hard to read today.

"Let's not wake him yet. I'll help him up to the house later." Burke responded as he opened the trunk.

A very logical response, but a little detached, thought Rose.

"Okay."

After settling Rose in, Burke walked his father to the living room couch. The sight of Cristina in the kitchen eased his apprehension a little. She was wearing his apron, clumsily maneuvering something. Had it not been the heavy-hearted feeling that still infiltrated the house, Burke would have blinked.

"What're you doing, Cristina?"

"I'm trying to drain the spaghetti."

"Yes, Mommy says we must be hungry now." Asha grinned. "Grandma, come here. Let me show you the chocolate cake I made for you. Daddy says you'll love it."

"That's very sweet of you, darling." Patting her grandchild's head, Rose smiled at Burke. "Preston, you know you're blessed."

"That I am."

"And you, Cristina, are a very lucky woman." Rose gently touched her daughter-in-law, who returned a small and contrived smile, mainly in Burke's direction, as if she was seeking approval.

It might have seemed artificial to others, but to Burke, the subtle smile on Cristina's face was something he sorely missed. He was sure that was the same expression she had when she first met his mother years ago.

"That she knows." Burke sounded like a little boy who was proudly presenting his toys.

"And I am the happiest mother tonight!" Rose was back to her normal bubbly self again, filling the house with rings of laughter. Sitting by his son, Samuel stared at the woman with great fondness. He did not recall having such a wonderful Thanksgiving in years.

"If there's one thing I did right in my life, it'd be meeting your mother and having you as my son."

Although Samuel knew he was not a complete outsider, he still worried his words might break the happy spell. His voice faltered a bit, but he meant every word he said. "No matter what, don't ever make these ladies sad."

"Right." Burke did not feel particularly at ease with words either, so his reply was barely audible. He knew he was fully capable of acting less remote, but it took longer than he thought to be warm and intimate. It used to perplex him when Cristina appeared cold and distant even after they became a couple. Now, he was beginning to understand that sometimes it was not easy to get one's feelings out on the table. Maybe, maybe he had been too hard on Cristina sometimes.

"Dinner's ready!"


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: I edited Ch. 25 slightly and added this, just because it's almost Thanksgiving and I want to extend it a little. I hope you like it.

Ch. 26

No one knew how it happened. Perhaps it was magic. The dinner turned out to be a picture-perfect Thanksgiving anyhow, despite all the anxiety, surprises, and pain. It was neither the food, the wine, nor the music; but the familiar faces around the table that mattered.

"Mommy, can we take a picture together?" Asha suddenly recalled her teacher's suggestion.

Everyone smiled at the idea as Burke went to fetch the camera and the tripod.

"Daddy, look at grandpa and grandma. You should hold Mommy that way as well!" Asha exclaimed with enthusiasm when she turned back to look at everyone on the sofa.

Cristina blushed as her husband pulled her closer to him. It was the sort of intimacy she could lose herself in.

Wrapping his hand around Cristina's firmly, Burke joined in the joyous exchange of _Happy Thanksgiving_ and kisses that dissolved the bleakness once occupying their home.

Many years from now, Asha would talk about everyone in that photo with pride.

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Stroking his daughter's hair as he tucked the comforter under her chin, Burke squeezed the hand of the woman beside him.

"Thank you for making this happen," Burke whispered into her ear.

"Thank you for being patient with me," Cristina whispered back and allowed her head to rest on his chest.

Strolling along the corridor in silence, the couple paused outside the room of Burke's parents. Rose was holding Samuel's hand close to her face while the man slept in peace. There was so much love in the woman's eyes that it amazed the younger couple.

Preston Burke knew there would always be a part in him that could not forgive his father, and even if they still had a day or two to really communicate and understand each other, it would never be sufficient.

He felt the same about his relationship with his wife. He knew they had a solid relationship, but he would always desire more from her.

At the same time, he also knew how easy it was for family members to find fault in one another. In fact, Burke knew it could happen every other day in all relationships, if not every day.

But in the end, whether we like it or not, our family was what brought us life and glued us together. That alone would always be something to be thankful for.

-THE END-


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